Mandevilla plant named ‘SUNPARAMAKUHO’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sunparamakuho’, characterized by its compact vining plant habit with short internodes; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; white-colored flowers; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNPARAMAKUHO’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunparamakuho’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunparapibra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,649. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor on a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Sunparapibra’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Kranenburg, Germany on Jul. 13, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by cuttings in Kranenburg, Germany since Jul. 24, 2012 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunparamakuho’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunparamakuho’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Compact vining plant habit with short internodes.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Freely flowering habit.     -   6. White-colored flowers.     -   7. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the parent, ‘Sunparapibra’. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of ‘Sunparapibra’ in flower color as plants of ‘Sunparapibra’ have light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunparaosiro’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,134. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Mandevilla differed from plants of ‘Sunparaosiro’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had thicker lateral branches         than plants of ‘Sunparaosiro’.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller leaves than plants         of ‘Sunparaosiro’.     -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller flowers than plants         of ‘Sunparaosiro’.     -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Sunparaosiro’.     -   5. Plants of the new Mandevilla and ‘Sunparaosiro’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Sunparaosiro’ had very light         pink-colored flowers.     -   6. Plants of the new Mandevilla had shorter peduncles than         plants of ‘Sunparaosiro’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunparamakuho’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flower of ‘Sunparamakuho’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the autumn in 18-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were five months old when the photographs and detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrida ‘Sunparamakuho’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Mandevilla hybrida     ‘Sunparapibra’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,649. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures             about 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About five to six             weeks at temperatures about 23° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact vining plant habit with             relatively short internodes; vigorous growth habit; freely             branching habit.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 50 cm. Diameter:             About 3.7 mm. Internode length: About 2.6 cm. Strength:             Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.7 cm.         -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Cuspidate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 144B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 138A; venation, close to 144C.         -   Petiole length.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.5 mm.         -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flowers arranged in             axillary racemes; flowers face upright to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about six flowers per inflorescence and             about 41 inflorescences developing per plant during the             flowering season.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after planting; long flowering period, plants flower             continuously from summer to late autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days;             flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 15.3 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 13.1 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Salverform; flared trumpet, corolla             fused and five-parted; flowers roughly star-shaped.             Diameter: About 7.75 cm. Depth (length): About 7.1 cm.             Throat diameter: About 1.8 cm. Tube length: About 4.8 cm.             Tube diameter, mid-section: About 1.2 cm. Tube diameter,             base: About 4.1 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Height: About 6.9 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Lenticular. Color: Close to 11D and 65C.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl and fused towards the base into an elongated             tube. Petal lobe length: About 3.4 cm. Petal lobe width:             About 2.9 cm. Petal lobe shape: Roughly orbicular. Petal             lobe apex: Cuspidate. Petal lobe margin: Entire; slightly             reflexing. Petal lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous;             satiny. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal             lobe, when opening, upper surface: Close to N155C. Petal             lobe, when opening, lower surface: Close to N155B. Petal             lobe, fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             NN155B. Throat: Close to 17A. Tube: Close to NN155B.         -   Calyx.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl; calyx, star-shaped. Sepal length: About 9 mm.             Sepal width: About 2.8 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly deltoid.             Sepal apex: Acuminate. Sepal base: Obtuse. Sepal margin:             Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Sepal color: When developing, upper surface: Close             to 144C; at the apex, close to 47B. When developing, lower             surface: Close to 144D; at the apex, close to 47B. Fully             opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144D; at the             apex, close to 47C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Upright to outwardly.             Color: Close to 143C.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Aspect: Outwardly to upright.             Color: Close to 144C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,             connivent. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About             9.2 mm. Anther color: Close to 10A. Pollen amount: Moderate.             Pollen color: Close to 4D. Pistils: Quantity: Typically one.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Style color: Close to 154C.             Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color: Close to 150D. Ovary             color: Close to 144B.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not     been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been observed     to tolerate wind, rain and temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to     about 30° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunparamakuho’ as illustrated and described. 